As the GT86 and the AE86 approached the first corner, Collei and Eula simultaneously slammed the gas pedal. Both cars jerked forward, marking the official start of the race. Eula's lead over the AE86 gradually widened, but curiously, each corner seemed to close that gap, little by little. The AE86 executed every drift with flawless precision, sliding through each hairpin effortlessly. It was as if the car was mimicking Eula's driving style, perfectly mirroring the GT86's every move.
Collei gripped the steering wheel tighter. "Damn, she's fast. I might be in trouble here. But if she can handle this course with ease, so can I!"
The two cars continued to blaze through the Amakane course at blistering speeds. Despite Eula's skill, the AE86 managed to keep pace with her throughout the race.
Eula glanced into her rearview mirror, a slight smile crossing her face. "I'm impressed. She's keeping up with me so far..."
As the race surged forward, Collei began to lose focus. Her vision blurred as she concentrated on the road ahead.
Her eyes narrowed in frustration. "Jesus Christ... It's like I'm on a roller coaster! It feels like I'm just here, along for the ride!"
At the top of Amakane Pass, Beidou, March, Seele, and Amber waited eagerly for the race to unfold.
Leaning against her R32, Beidou spoke up. "The 'If one can do it, so can I' philosophy. That's what Collei meant. If Eula can race this pass with ease, so can she."
Seele nodded thoughtfully. "Totally. That's the idea. But, you know, people who say that usually end up losing the race."
Amber shook her head, a smile playing on her lips. "Not always. But in a case like this, you might be right. At every corner, they're entering at high speed. It's going to take all of Collei's technique and courage to pass Eula on her home turf. If she loses focus or makes a wrong move…" She glanced out into the distance. "Collei could get seriously hurt here."
Meanwhile, in Yougou, Arlecchino had just finished preparing a fresh batch of tofu for Collei's delivery run the following morning. Stepping outside, she lit a cigarette and glanced over at March's Supra, deep in thought. "So Collei went to Amakane Pass, racing a GT86. Why a GT86?"
Back in Amakane, Collei started to find her rhythm, picking up the pace. Slowly but surely, the gap between her and Eula began to shrink. Collei's courage grew with every passing second, her determination amplifying as she navigated the treacherous curves of the pass.
In Araumi, Ningguang sat at her laptop, scanning files about the AE86 and Yougou Pass. She sipped her coffee, contemplating her next move. "There has to be a way to find its weakness around Yougou Pass. I need to figure out what speed I should take those corners."
Her mind drifted to the victories she'd earned in the past: beating Keqing's RX7, obliterating Yelan's Porsche Turbo, the Blackbird, and defeating Silverwolf's Integra DC2 in a brutal Gum Tape Deathmatch just last week. "How can I beat the AE86? I can't use its gutter technique without scraping my FC's underside."
Her eyes narrowed as she scrolled through the course. When she reached the five consecutive hairpin turns, it clicked. "That's it."
The race in Amakane was intensifying. Collei's focus wavered again, but she fought to stay in the moment.
"Too wide!" Collei muttered, realizing she was drifting off course. She corrected, barely missing a road sign before entering a fast left-hander. The car's front end nudged the guardrail.
"Damn! Too tight!" Collei cursed as she fought to maintain control.
She pushed forward, frustrated. "I need a way to pass her!"
Back in Yougou, Arlecchino sat in March's Supra, hands gripping the wheel. "Every pounding moment shapes a racer into a fiercer driver. With my kid's exceptional focus and concentration, paired with my own refined techniques—and of course, my tuned AE86, the car I spent years fine-tuning—there's no way she'll lose."
At the top of the pass, Beidou's nerves began to get the better of her. She shoved her hands into her jacket pockets. "I bet the race is already over. Eula's got this in the bag."
March hushed her. "Don't say that, Beidou! Remember, Collei has never been favored in a single race. How about Keqing's RX7? Or Yelan's Blackbird? And don't forget Collei's Gum Tape Deathmatch with Silverwolf! Even though it was her first time, she won that race. Silverwolf nearly threw herself and her car off the guardrail!"
Beidou peered into the distance. "But there's one constant in all of those races—they were all at Yougou Pass. The same route Collei's been racing for five years."
March's eyes widened. "So you're saying the course really makes that big of a difference?"
Beidou nodded gravely. "If Collei had driven this pass even once before, I wouldn't be so worried. But this is her true first run. She's never raced this road before, not even once."
Back in the race, Collei was still trailing behind Eula's GT86. Determined, she visualized the next corner ahead.
"Corner A105 is coming up. If I can pull alongside her here, I can pass her!" Collei's eyes narrowed with focus. "I've seen how you pull that crazy drift, Eula. Now it's my turn to show you what I've got!"
At Corner A105, a couple of locals had parked at the rest area, eager to watch the spectacle.
One spectator, stepping out of his Mazda MX-5, asked, "You here to watch the GT86 do its famous continuous drift?"
The other, leaning against his Nissan Silvia S15, nodded. "Yeah. It's an insane drift at this corner. If you can nail it perfectly, you've earned the right to call yourself a true driver. You can really feel what Amakane's all about if you can pull this off."
A few moments later, the screeching sound of tires filled the air.
The MX5 spectator straightened up. "Here they come!"
The cars' headlights pierced the darkness, signaling the arrival of the two contenders.
The Silvia spectator's eyes sharpened. "That's Eula in her Rocket Bunny GT86!"
The MX5 spectator blinked in surprise. "Wait… and who's that in the white car? No one told me there was a race going on!"
As the cars drew closer, the distinctive pop-up headlights of the AE86 were revealed.
"An AE86?" they both exclaimed in disbelief.
The race reached its peak. Eula slammed on the brakes, but Collei, sensing the opportunity, moved out of her slipstream and pulled up beside her.
Eula's eyes widened in disbelief. "What the hell is she doing?!"
In a synchronized drift, the two cars entered the turn side by side, inches away from colliding. The spectators watched in awe.
"They're going into the turn!" they both exclaimed.
Collei expertly kept her distance from Eula, preparing for the continuous inertia drift. As anticipated, she slightly eased off the brakes, knowing that Eula would brake much more aggressively into the next hairpin.
The MX5 spectator's eyes narrowed. "No way... that's Yougou's AE86!"
As Collei positioned herself behind Eula, she stomped on the gas and dove to the inside of the right corner. Eula, caught off guard, slammed on the brakes to slow down—but something was wrong. The GT86 began to understeer.
"Damn it! Why am I understeering?" Eula fought to regain control.
But it was too late. Collei shot past her on the inside line of A105.
As they exited the corner, Collei gained a half-car lead, the race all but decided. Both cars slowed, knowing the battle was over.
At the top of Amakane Pass, March, who had been waiting by the starting line, suddenly heard the roar of engines approaching.
She signaled to the others. "Hey, I hear them coming!"
Beidou, March, Seele, and Amber gathered at the line, their eyes widening as the two Eight Six's appeared. The GT86 was in front, with Collei's AE86 trailing close behind.
Beidou, a tinge of dread in her voice, whispered, "I think they're gearing up for another run."
As the two cars neared the starting line, Collei rolled down her window and raised a fist in triumph.
The group erupted in cheers, jumping for joy.
March raised her own fist, shouting, "She did it! She won!!"
Amber hugged March tightly. "Of course she did! That was spectacular!"
Seele embraced Beidou. "The impossible is possible, Beidou! Just because it's her first run doesn't mean she's going to lose!"
The celebration was filled with laughter and excitement as the two cars parked side by side. Both drivers turned on their hazard lights. Approaching the cars, the group could see Collei's wide smile.
Collei rolled her window down and leaned out. "That's got to be the best race I've done yet!"
Beidou leaned in, grinning. "How does it feel to win on a new course?"
Collei giggled. "It feels amazing!"
As Beidou stepped back, the rest of the group gathered around Collei's car. They turned their attention to Eula, who had just exited her vehicle.
Beidou approached Eula and extended a hand. "So, how'd it go?"
Eula smiled, shaking Beidou's hand. "It was great. I actually had fun, you know."
Beidou smirked. "Good to hear, Eula."
Hours later, they gathered at the base of Amakane Pass, sipping coffee at a convenience store.
Eula took a sip of her drink and turned to Collei. "So, how did you have the courage to go side by side with me at Corner A105?"
Collei looked up at the sky for a moment before replying. "Before our meeting at Amakane Pass, we were watching you at A105. I saw how you handled the corner, so when I was tailing you, I anticipated you'd brake earlier than usual to try and throw me off. I used that to my advantage."
Eula's eyes widened in surprise. "Damn... I gotta say, kid, you've got a lot of skill for your age."
Eula extended a hand toward Collei. "Well, Collei, it's been a pleasure racing with you."
Collei swapped her coffee to the other hand and shook Eula's. "It's been great racing with you."
The night loomed with positivity. A race that had started with drama ended on a high note, with friendships mended and new bonds formed.